Vada Pav Recipe
Vada pav is like a staple food of Maharashtra (Mumbai), Mumbai is also known for its world famous Vada Pav, Potato Balls dipped in thick chickpea flour is then dropped in hot oil and deep fried until crispy brown from outside and spicy and soft from inside. Served with a local bread (Pav) with some fried chillies and sweet and sour chutneys.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- whisker
- Kadhai or Fry Pan to make masala
- Kadhai for deep frying
- Stainless Steel Strainer Stapula for Deep Frying
Ingredients
Coating
- 200 grams Gram flour
- Salt as per taste
- ½ tbsp Red chilly powder
- ½ Lemon Juice
- Water as required to make the batter
Filling (Masala)
- 4 Nos Potatoes Boiled
- ½ tsp Mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp Ginger garlic chilly grated (or coarsely grinded)
- 10-15 Nos Curry leaves
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- ¼ cup coriander leaves Chopped
- Oil
for cooking
Instructions
- First we will start with making the batter/coating, Take a mixing bowl add the chickpea flour (besan) in the bowl
- In the flour add salt, red chilly powder, Turmeric powder, Lemon Juice and salt
- Mix all the dry masala together in the flour so its evenly mixed in the flour
- Now in the flour add half lemon juice, Adding lemon juice to the batter makes it crispy and we won’t need to add baking soda in the batter.
- Now start adding little water to it and keep stirring continuously with a whisker to remove all lumps and make a smooth batter
- Water to be added in intervals and not together, Batter should be slightly thick just like Idly/dosa batter
- Now we have got the right consistency of the coating, as mentioned thebatter should not be very thin or very thick too, just like idly/dosa batterwhich can coat the potato balls well.
- The coating is ready, keep it aside and let’s start with the filling –Potato Masala filling and for this heat a panIn the tawa/pan add 1-2 tbsp of Oil and let it heat
- Once the oil is hot, reduce it to medium flame and add mustard seeds and let it crackle
- Once the mustard seeds are crackled add curry leaves
- Once the curry leaves are fried well and nice aroma comes add crushed orgrated or coarsely grinded ginger garlic and chilly paste
- Fry the ginger garlic and chilly paste until the raw smell goes and stircontinuously to avoid sticking to the pan incase you are not using a non-sticktawa/pan
- Now add a pinch of asofeotida to the masala, this gives a nice flavour as well as helps in avoiding acidity from the acidic food stuff like potatoes
- Now add mashed potatoes to the masala , You can mash with the hands directly on the pan or you may also use a potato masher to do so
- Fry the potatoes and mix it well in the masala, Fry them for 30 secs
- Now add salt and turmeric powder in the potato masala
- Mix it very well so salt is spread across evenly in the masala
- Now add the freshly chopped coriander leaves in the potato masala
- Give it a nice mix and turn off the flame – The masala filling is ready
- Remove this in a plate and let it cool
- As soon as the masala is slight warm start making equal balls of the masala
- The masala balls are now ready to be dipped in the batter and fried Heat Oil in a kadhai
- Once the oil is hot, Dip each ball in the batter and drop it in the hot oil, Keep it on a low/medium flame while dropping the vadas in the oil
- Do not stir for 30 secs and after 30 secs, Turn around to cook evenly
- Cook on a low flame for 3-4 mins untill crispy brown and then remove them in a paper towel
- Now lets plate the vada pav street style with some fried green chillies and chopped onions
- Cut the pav from between into two – Sprinkle some dry chutney, Place a vada and keep some chopped onions and crispy fries over it and pressit gently
- Serve it hot with spicy fried green chillies
Video
Notes
Coating should not be very thin or very thick, Should have a idly/dosa batter consistency
Avoid baking soda and instead add lemon Juice in the batter to get a crispy coating
While making potato masala do not add any water, and the potatoes should be cooked well.
Before dropping the vadas in the hot oil, Lower the flame and the oil should be hot enough to fry the vadas
Keep aside the crispy remains of the batter while frying to use it while plating the vada pav. It gives a nice crunch to the vada pav.